Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Stabilizing small joint fractures in dogs and cats with notched
By Tan, C J & Johnson, K A·Published in Australian veterinary journal·2016·Faculty of Veterinary Science, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Stabilisation of periarticular fractures and osteotomies with a notched head locking T-plate.
Plain-English summary
A group of nine small dogs and two cats with fractures near their joints underwent surgery using a special plate called a notched head locking T-plate to stabilize the bone. All pets healed well after the surgery, although there were a few complications during and after the procedures, such as issues with screw placement and skin problems. The veterinarians found that modifying the plate during surgery helped in many cases. Overall, the use of this plate was successful in helping these pets recover from their injuries.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To report the clinical outcomes and complications of small animals that had articular or periarticular fractures or osteotomies stabilised with a notched head locking T-plate. METHODS: Medical records were searched retrospectively to identify animals that had a notched head locking T-plate used to stabilise a small articular or periarticular bone fragment. RESULTS: Nine dogs and two cats had an articular or periarticular bone fragment stabilised with a 2.0- or 2.4-mm notched head locking T-plate (12 procedures). The median body weight was 4.7 kg. The plate was modified by removing holes in 10/12 procedures and a combination of locking and non-locking screws were used in 7/12 procedures. All fractures or osteotomies progressed to clinical union. There were two intraoperative complications (intra-articular screw placement and overlong screw) and two postoperative complications (skin necrosis and stress protection) CONCLUSIONS: This study reports the successful use of a 2.0- or 2.4-mm notched head locking T-plate for articular or periarticular fractures or osteotomies in a variety of small-breed dogs and cats. Care must be taken to prevent inadvertent penetration of the articular surface, particularly in regions such as the proximal tibia. The ability to modify the plate dimensions intraoperatively proved beneficial in most cases.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27671082/